goalkeeper
Americannoun
-
goalkeepers
plural
noun
Usage
What does goalkeeper mean? In sports like soccer (football) and hockey, the goalkeeper is the player positioned in front of the goal whose job is to prevent the ball or puck from entering it (or crossing the goal line). Goalkeeper can be used to refer to the position or the player. A goalkeeper might say they play goalkeeper. A common informal word for goalkeeper is goalie. In some sports, a goalkeeper is called a goaltender. In soccer, the goalkeeper is sometimes called the keeper. Example: When I played soccer, I was the goalkeeper, and I was pretty good, especially because I was quick and had long arms for my age.
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Origin of goalkeeper
Vocabulary lists containing goalkeeper
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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Assistant head coach Rui Pedro Silva and goalkeeper coach Rui Barbosa have also left the club.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner said of O'Neill on BBC Radio Scotland that it's been "a brilliant weekend for Rangers", who won their League Cup semi-final with Aberdeen on Saturday.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
Aside from Carrick, they had England goalkeeper David James in their squad.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
It was Haughey who ultimately struck the winning penalty to send the hosts through, yet it was goalkeeper Jay Lynch who tipped the shootout in their favour.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
Giti, who was going to marry Sabir the goalkeeper.
From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini
One of the more criticised aspects of the new, smaller format is the lack of goalkeepers, with some concerns over how that might impact their development.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026
"When you make decisions like this, there are obvious trade-offs but we don't believe it is going to be detrimental to the development of future goalkeepers," Folwell added.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026
Despite his exclusion so far this season, Ramsdale is said to have a good relationship with Eckert, the coaching staff and the other goalkeepers - and has an affection for the club.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
City brought in one of the best goalkeepers in the world in Gianluigi Donnarumma, just four weeks after Trafford's arrival and he became second choice.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
“He used to be one of the best goalkeepers in Kosovo, and everybody wanted to be like him.”
From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John
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